Six persons, including a motorcyclist and two bank customers, have been reportedly killed in a bank robbery at Igarra, in the Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State.
It was learnt that the robbers stormed the town in two Sienna minibuses at about 6pm on Tuesday, where some of them reportedly attacked a police station in the area and killed two policemen.
The others were said to have raided a Keystone Bank branch on Momodu Ajayi Road, destroyed the security door with explosives and carted away an undisclosed sum of money.
The motorcyclist, bank customers and a private security guard were also said to have been shot dead on the bank’s premises.
The robbers were said to have made for Unity Bank which is located opposite Keystone Bank but were not able to enter.
It was learnt that the robbers were later confronted and one of them was killed by vigilantes, who were said to have mobilised and barricaded their exit route, along Ekpedo-Ekpe Road which borders Kogi State.
One of the vehicles said to have been used by the robbers was also seized by the local security groups.
A leader of a vigilante group in the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that many of the robbers escaped with bullet wounds.
The vigilante leader said, “When they started the operation in Igarra, we quickly mobilised our people around the surrounding villages because they (robbers) came through Lampese to Ososo and down to Igarra and they were also going back through the axis, passing through Enwan.
“And our men barricaded their route and there was an exchange of gunfire. One of them was killed; another was arrested while many escaped with gunshot wounds. They (vigilantes) also impounded one of the vehicles they used.”
The Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Ezike, who confirmed the incident, said on the telephone that one of the suspects had been arrested.
He also said that the police recovered a total sum of N4, 452,500, 11 AK47 rifles and 39 Improvised Explosive Devices.
Ezike said, “I can also confirm that one of the robbers has been arrested. One died in a shoot-out. Eleven AK47 rifles were recovered; I have just finished a press conference in Igarra now.
“We have also recovered N4,452,500 from them. We have recovered 41 AK47 magazines, 39 Improvised Explosive Devices, and we recovered assorted ammunition.”